They werent gaudy, they werent pretentious. SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. Brad Dermond flips through albums and shuffles through a handful of photographsremembering family road trips, golfing and how much his parents loved him and his siblings and adored their grandchildren. It's been eight years since homicide detectives were called to investigate the murder of Russell and Shirley Dermond. s 3,200-square-foot-home. Support by joining KMH+ and by checking out our merch shop! A local sheriff says data provided to the FBI might help them solve the grisly double homicide of an elderly pair eight years ago. Thats why he hopes new evidence can breathe new life into the investigation. So the neighbors, a few days later, went to check on them. They hope deputies are able to find their parents' killers. EATONTON, Ga. A cold case is warming up as the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said there is new evidence in their search for whomurdered an elderly couple, then dumped one of their body's into a rural Georgia lake. But the memories are bittersweet, because that is all that remains. Timeline | Multiple rounds of strong to severe storms possible, Woman convicted in husband's murder after stabbing him with butcher knife, Douglas County prosecutors say, Douglas County jury convicts woman in husband's stabbing death, Forecast | Shower and storms increase to finish the week. Henry is 62, a slim, deep-voiced, Vidalia-born career cop. The case of Russell and Shirley Dermond remains unsolved. For seven years, the killings of Russell and Shirley Dermond at Lake Oconee have gone unsolved, the motive unknown and the culprit or culprits uncaught in a bizarre double slaying that has remained as baffling as it was heinous. An investigators has said the Dermond home was kept so neat and clean that youd eat off the floors.. Somebodys out there and theyre living in Hell. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. In the sheriff's last update on the case, he said there were no fingerprints, foreign DNA or eye-witnesses. She was on the phone, gasping, breathless in the 11 seconds it took someone to answer and say, Putnam County 911., Yes, uh, I have an emergency, the woman, 68, said. The spot where her body, which had not been decapitated, was discovered is about five miles down the lake from the home the Dermonds, New Jersey natives, had retired to about a decade and a half prior. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards. It was 10 days before her fate was known. The body of Shirley Wilcox Dermond, who was 87, turned up May 16, 10 days after her husbands. Heres a look at new, renovated stores and restaurants, Burger King brings back fan-favorite sandwich but not for long. As of 2022, the murders remain unsolved and Russell's head has not been found. Shirley, the sheriff says, appears to have been up and dressed for the day, while Russ, in a robe, T-shirt, boxer shorts and slippers, may have, when the killer arrived, just been into his morning coffee-drinking and reading routine. Brad Dermond, center, with his parents at his wedding. He was decapitated after he died, likely on May 3 or the day before. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Im not exaggerating, Sills said. Indeed, the highlight of their life was spending time with their grandchildren, all nine of them. Russell Dermond, 88, and his wife Shirley Dermond, 87, were brutally murdered in their gated community overlooking Lake Oconee, Georgia, in 2014, according to Fox Macon affiliate WGXA. Unsolved murders in Putnam County, Georgia, "Decapitation mystery: Russell Dermond was World War II vet, golfer", "The murders at Lake Oconee: 4 years later, elderly couple's son opens up", "5 years later, murders of Lake Oconee couple continue to confound", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Russell_and_Shirley_Dermond&oldid=1140583082, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 19:22. But, I cant find anyone who had an ax to grind with them and I cant find any connections to any kind of criminal enterprise or other activity, whatsoever.. It was wooded and very private. He was shot in the neck and torso 15 years ago while buying crack cocaine in downtown Atlanta the night of his 47th birthday. He was the lead investigator in the 1999 shooting deaths of a woman and her 2-year-old daughter whose bodies were found in the trunk of a burned-out car. In May, 2014 an elderly couple, Russell and Shirley Dermond, were murdered at their home in a gated community on Lake Oconee in central Georgia. In the years since, the Putnam County Sheriffs Office would re-interview several times hoping something new would emerge. If theres somebody whos going to get this thing solved, its going to be him.. Russell, 88, was found beheaded in the couples garage. REAL LIFE But he was also realistic. She has been bludgeoned to death and her body had been weighted down with cinder blocks. That said, it points out a daunting truth. Among locals who didnt even know the slain couple, an uneasiness set in. In May 2014, Shirley and Russell Dermond were killed. Key recalls the Dermonds being in church the weekend before they died, and how so much time has passed since. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. They had a great relationship, said Monica Haufler, Chad Hauflers wife of 25 years. There was terror in her voice the morning the murder mystery came to light. Hes always taken care of people.. WebEATONTON, Ga. A cold case is warming up as the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said there is new evidence in their search for who murdered an elderly couple, then dumped Manslaughter shouldve been the highest charge they came up with.. I know damn well that Im the man responsible for this. Ive obtained some of it and I have reason to believe that when I obtain the rest of the data and sort it out that it may well lead me to a suspect or suspects in this case, Sills said. Leads have, at times, looked promising. Russell was a thoughtful businessman, disciplinarian and Brads favorite golfing partner, according to their son. It is possible that whatever the killer sought, if anything, was something the Dermonds didnt have. Her body was anchored by two 30-pound cinder blocks that were placed into a nylon bag and then thrown into the lake, according to Sills. [2], Russell was last seen alive on May 1, 2014, as he was running errands in Eatonton. Investigators said a professional would know that would not Both were very religious, and Shirley was an avid writer, artist and crossword puzzle enthusiast. Channel 2 investigative In fact, the grandchildren would go to Lake Oconee for summer camp and spend time with Shirley and Russell every year. The concern of it may have diminished in the public, because time, of course, erodes all things., I travel all over the United States of America and the first thing (people) ask me no matter where I go is about the Dermond killings, he said. The Dermonds eldest son, Mark, was killed while attempting to purchase crack cocaine in Atlanta. Investigators believe that there is no connection between this crime and the murder of Mark's parents. It was found by fishermen. Theres such a thing of Gods wrath. PUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. - New evidence might reinvigorate the investigation into a chilling murder mystery that still haunts a Lake Oconee community eight years later. She described two bloodlettings Dimos was bludgeoned, sustaining multiple lacerations to his face, before Haufler, 45, allegedly shot his friend in the face. Heres a look at new, renovated stores and restaurants, Burger King brings back fan-favorite sandwich but not for long. After growing concerned, a neighbor checked in on the Dermonds on Tuesday, May 6. This story was originally published May 5, 2021, 5:00 AM. How their killer or killers arrived is anyones guess. Seems like every free minute Ive got, my mind is rehashing stuff, trying to think of things we may have missed or overlooked, Henry said. That, and unanswered questions. Youngest son Blake is set to follow in his dads footsteps as a firefighter in Marion County. A year ago, he said, I would have expected (the authorities) to have found something by now., These days there are few places the sheriff can go without someone recognizing him and asking about that case.. Despite what the listing describes as large windows found in every room, the house sits in a tree-shrouded lot. I think the only chance we have at this point (is) that he trips himself up., This week, while Sheriff Sills declined to elaborate on what clue he may have in hand, he said the material was something I am actively working on.. Follow us on -Instagram @kmh.podcastTwitter @kmhpodcastFacebook click hereTikTok @kmhpodcastThank you for listening! Movies. When Russells body was found in the couples garage, his finger had a severe wound, Sills said. It had been weighed down with concrete blocks but surfaced in about 90 feet of water, tangled in treetops just below the surface. He suggests inebriation mightve played a role, noting the two men had purchased $130 worth of adult beverages the day before Haufler called 911, 30 minutes before sunrise on August 28. If you have a tip or story idea, email her at jnoll@11Alive.com or call, text at (404) 664-3634. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. WebThe murders of Russell and Shirley Dermond are believed to have occurred four days before authorities ever knew that the unthinkable had happened. WebThe unsolved murders of Shirley and Russell Dermond remain an ongoing and active investigation. 5 years later, murders of Lake Oconee couple continue to confound On May 6, 2014, the body of Russell Dermond, 88, was found inside the garage of the couple? He recalls one tipster, though, who was convinced that the killer is an al-Qaida or Islamic State operative. He has reached out to the FBI to help comb through that evidence. It just always ends up with a big question mark, he said. (Provided), The Dermonds adored their nine grandchildren. Mrs. Russell Dermond, 88, was found beheaded in the garage at his home on Lake Oconee on May 6, 2014. He was determined not to let his money ruin him or his two sons, each of whom joined the Marines after high school. We met and talked about three hours today about this case, Sills told The Union-Recorder earlier this week. Russ Dermond. There's no way one person did this," he said. New Details On The Unsolved Murder Of The Georgia Couple, Somebody knows. The headless body of 88-year-old Russell Dermond was on the floor surrounded by towels. WebThe Oconee County Sheriff's Office says 41-year-old Adam Robert Cabe, of Candler, turned himself in on Monday, Feb. 28, 2023, on a charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct There is none. 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